European day against child sexual abuse: stronger engagement with victims and survivors needed to stop stigmatisation and prevent further crime, says Secretary General
Ahead of
the European Day on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation
and Sexual Abuse (18 November), Secretary General Marija Pejčinović
Burić has called on Council of Europe member states to
step up their engagement with victims and survivors of childhood sexual
violence to help lift taboos surrounding reporting of sexual
violence to better protect children.
The European Day was launched by
the Council of Europe in 2015. In 2022, as part of a global awareness-raising
and advocacy effort, the United Nations also established the 18th of November as the World Day for the prevention of and
healing from child sexual exploitation, abuse, and violence.
“It is crucial to join forces
globally to ensure children’s protection against sexual violence worldwide. I
am proud that our day has become universal and glad to announce that our
Organisation has joined the We Protect
Global Alliance, a coalition of governments, civil society organisations,
companies and international organisations committed to combat child sexual
exploitation and abuse,” highlighted Marija Pejčinović Burić.
The Convention on the Protection
of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse, also
known as the Lanzarote Convention, is widely recognised as the gold
standard worldwide to combat these heinous crimes.
“Child sexual exploitation or
sexual abuse is never the fault of the child, but in most cases the feeling of
shame and stigma prevent children from disclosing their trauma before
adulthood. This leaves them unprotected and perpetrators unpunished. Breaking the
vicious circle of silence, encouraging survivors to speak up and learning from
them is of vital importance because they can bring important insights to policy
making,” concluded Marija Pejčinović Burić.
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